Football is increasingly about a frame of mind for Fremantle recruit Reece Conca

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Lying on the turf at Etihad Stadium last June with his left foot pointing in a direction it shouldn’t have, Reece Conca didn’t know if he would be wearing a purple jumper or a yellow-and-black one in 2019.

He didn’t know if he would be playing in the AFL at all.

With his leg having twisted in a tackle under the 107kg frame of Sydney’s Lance Franklin, Conca’s screams — picked up by the TV coverage through a nearby umpire’s microphone — provided an uncomfortable soundtrack to the confronting vision after he suffered an ankle dislocation.

Serious injury had been a regular companion ever since his junior days, so Conca was used to fighting back. But in that moment, as a nearly 26-year-old coming out of contract, the pain was amplified by a sense of dread.

“At that moment, you have a few dark thoughts coming through your head and I was fearing the worst. Obviously out of contract and having a few previous injuries, things start to build up in your mind a little bit,” Conca said.

“But I got rushed to hospital that night and actually got some positive results straight off the bat, which put my mind at ease a little bit. You sort of go straight into shock at the time, but when you’re holding on to your ankle at a right angle, it’s not the greatest position to be in.”

CAUTION: DISTRESSING IMAGES. Richmond Tiger Reece Conca has suffered a horrific ankle injury during the clash against the Sydney Swans

CAUTION: DISTRESSING IMAGES. Richmond Tiger Reece Conca has suffered a horrific ankle injury during the clash against the Sydney Swans

Fremantle had already signalled their interest in the Richmond free agent and the Dockers remained supportive of their target despite the setback. Having missed the historic premiership win with the Tigers the previous season, Conca pushed his body to the limit in rehab and made it back on to the field just seven weeks later before playing in both of Richmond’s finals.

“The recovery was incredibly smooth. I got quite aggressive with it. I really wanted to get back to playing some football,” he said.

“Fremantle were obviously really supportive through the whole process. I didn’t really speak to them at all but (manager) Colin (Young) handled all that and we came through with it.”

Now in full training at the Dockers’ Cockburn base, Conca described himself as “absolutely flying”.

“The off-season came at a really good time. I had a few weeks to just rest and heal and now it’s back to feeling 100 per cent,” he said.

“I was a little bit modified pre-Christmas, just because my season went a little bit later than Fremantle’s. But absolutely flying at the moment and feeling fantastic.”

Conca expected he would shift between the midfield and half-back this season and said he and fellow new arrivals Jesse Hogan, Rory Lobb and Travis Colyer were united in their belief that the Dockers were going places.

Camera IconThe former Tiger is expecting to split his time between midfield and defence.Picture: Danella Bevis

“I think it’s every team’s goal to play finals and we’re obviously no different,” he said.

“Along with Jesse and Rory and Trav... we’re excited. We’ve definitely made the right decision coming over and we all just want to contribute and I have no doubt we’ll have some great success this season.”

He might be flying on the track but Conca has often been grounded, with a series of injuries limiting him to 104 games since his debut in round one, 2011.

Having signed a three-year deal to move home and play for Fremantle, Conca attributes his interest in mindfulness and meditation as critical in relaunching his career after he was limited to 15 senior games in three seasons from 2015-17.

“I started doing it after I got a lot of recurring injuries. I just felt I needed something a little bit different and invested a lot of time in the mental side of it. I think it’s helped me in my career, football and away from football, a lot,” he said.

“I sort of removed that anxiety around injuries. It wasn’t so much the physical side. I’d be going out and worrying where’s my next injury coming from?

“Realistically, I’d done everything I could. I’ve got really good control over that now and I’m pretty confident I won’t have any issues.

“A lot of them have been quite unfortunate. A handful of them have been during tackles or things that you can’t particularly control. But I think that’s just part of footy and part of life and just the obstacles that you’ve got to overcome.”

Conca, who has a twin sister he is close to, grew up playing soccer and following English giants Liverpool, saying he had no affiliation with either Fremantle or West Coast.

Camera IconConca was a shock selection in the top-10 after a last-minute surge up the rankings.Picture: AFL Media

His Italian immigrant grandparents Pasquale and Concetta run Conca’s pizza bar, a Victoria Park landmark on Albany Highway which has stood the test of time. The Perth Football Club product admits he’s eaten more pizzas there than he’s made.

“I’d be there easily two or three nights a week. I’d go there after footy training and eat and run home sometimes. It was right near home, which worked out well,” he said.

“I never actually worked there. I probably should have helped out. I try not to eat there now, because I’ve got to watch my diet a little bit more.”

Conca was taken by Richmond with pick No.6 in the 2010 national draft and during a strong debut season earned comparisons with Dustin Martin’s own arrival into the AFL the previous year.

Having landed at a club that had finished second-last the previous two seasons, Conca missed a place in the 2017 premiership side after a serious foot injury derailed much of his year. But after an injury-riddled eight-year stint at Tigerland, the versatile West Australian speaks about being part of that famous flag rather than missing out on it.

“Obviously everyone wants to play in a premiership, but I know that I still played a strong role in that premiership,” Conca said.

“I was there for my teammates at that time and I feel like we all won that together. We built that strong culture and that’s actually truly how we felt. I know that I played my little part and I’m very grateful for those years and now I’m very much looking forward to many more at Fremantle.”

He believes Richmond’s premiership recipe was about the collective rather than specifics and said close bonds formed at the club were paramount.

“I think it’s just bringing everything together and building a really strong culture and having everyone buy into that culture,” he said.

“Building strong relationships, really meaningful ones where you can connect on an emotional level so that you can convert that out on to the field. I think that’s what Richmond was really good at.

“I think there’s a really strong space for that mental side of football. Developing your mind in high-pressure situations, or if it’s rehab.”

Conca’s homecoming not only brings him closer to family and friends but has reunited him with former Trinity College schoolmate Colyer and State under-18s teammates Brandon Matera and Harley Bennell.

I think there’s a really strong space for that mental side of football. Developing your mind in high-pressure situations, or if it’s rehab.

WA’s vice-captain, Conca needs no reminding of the quality of Bennell, who claimed the Larke Medal in his draft year as the best player in the national under-age competition.

“Me and Harley are quite close friends so it’s good to rekindle that friendship. We can connect on a whole different range of levels, which is good,” he said.

“He’s an incredible talent, the way he can just attack the game. He’s one of those players who can actually win a game off his own boot. He wins the ball really well, he can kick goals.

“He’s training super well, he’s looking fantastic. I think it’s incredibly exciting. Fremantle supporters should be really excited at the prospect of having him back on the park and contributing.”